Circular-knitting machine.



Patented Mar. 20, I900.

' F. WILCOMB.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

(No Mddel.)

PATENT WGFFICEQ FRANK WILOOMB, or PAWTUOKET,

RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARD MACHINE COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

DCIRCULAR-KNDITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,676, dated March20, 1900.

Application filed $eptember 1, 1898. Serial No. 690,056. No modem T0 aZZwhom/it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK WILOOMB, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pawtucket, Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Circular- Knitting Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to circular-knitting machines of that class inwhich a plurality of threads are fed to the needles to produce stripedor reinforced work and in which the threads thrown out of work remainattached to the inner side of the tubular fabric.

It is the object of my inventionto provide means for taking care of thethreads which are out of work and which in the continued revolution ofthe machine become twisted and entangled, tending to draw the fabric upthrough the cylinder and interfering with the successful working of theneedles and also drawing and distorting the loops of the fabric wherethe threads are attached to it or breaking the thread away from thefabric in the case of tender yarn. My invention is designed to obviatethese difficulties and defects by providing a thread-engaging devicewhich in the revolution of the machine engages the loosely-attachedinactive thread and draws it to the center of the cylinder, where it isheld, so as to prevent it from'interfering with the work.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of acircular-knitting machine of; ordinary type with my improvementsattached. Fig.2v is a plan view, and Fig. 3 a. View of a modification.

In the drawings the needle-cylinder A is stationary, and the cam-ring Bis rotated through the gearing l 2. The thread-feed arms 0 D arecontrolled by a pattern-wheel E to throw the threads in and out of work,all these parts being of any ordinary form.

My invention consists of a take-up finger or thread engaging andmeasuring device F, arranged to work inside of the needle circle, havinga scroll form, the longer curved end 4c of the scroll reaching out nearto the needle row just back of the thread-feeds. This end of thethread-engaging device or scroll I precurved end of the scroll.

fer to give a slight curve upward to enable it more readily to passabove the thread that is attached to the fabric in the first fewrevolutionsof the-machine after the thread has been thrown to the centerof the cylinder by being caught by the engaging device, as shown inFig.1. The smaller curved end or eye 5 of the scroll works approximatelyin the center of the circle of needles. As the cam-ring revolves thisthread finger or scroll engages the loosely-attached thread extendingfrom the thread-guide to the fabric and draws it to the center. of theneedle-cylinder to-the small part of the scroll, thereby drawing theyarn from the spool or supply.

This thread-finger is set slightly above the top of the needle-cylinder,so that the threadfinger will pass above the thread where it is attachedto the fabric,and at each revolution.

of the machine the thread is passed underneath the thread-finger,preventing the fab ric from lifting. As the fabric feeds down throughthe cylinder more yarn is drawn from the supply end, and this strand orall the strands are held taut and never become slack or interfere withthe work. Then any one of these inoperative threadsare brought intoaction again, the loop'end is still held by the scroll until the needlehas drawn the new thread into the body of the fabric, when the longupturned end of the scroll will immediately pass above this part of thethread, and

the continued revolution of the machine will allow the loop (both endsof which are now attached to the fabric) to slip off the small Thisthread is now attached to the fabric in two places and hangs loosely onthe inside of the fabric in the form of a loop, as at 6, Fig. 1.

It will be understood that any number of threads may be extending downthe inside of the tube and in consequence of the revolutions of themachine become twisted; but at each revolution of the machine the scrolldraws a new supply of yarn, which will enable the twisting to go onwithout allowing 1 form.

thread is used in addition to the main thread this scroll operates onthis reinforcingthread in the same manner, keeping it taut at all times,preventing the thread from flying into engagement with the needles, andthus making imperfections in the fabric.

I have illustrated my inventiona-s used in connection with a machinehaving vertical latch-needles, the needle-bed being stationary, thecam-ring and thread-fingers and scroll revolving, it being understood,however, that it may also be used on a machine where the needle-cylinderrevolves and the cam-ring is stationary, in which case the scroll isalso stationary. The device may also be used in connection with machineshaving radial needle-beds or needle-beds of a conical It may also beused with machines of the springneedle type, where the fabric passesdown through the cylinder.

It is desirable at times to remove the scroll from inside the needle rowin order to enable a ribbed fabric to be transferred to the needles orfor other purposes, and I have provided means by whichtl1is may be done,said means consisting of an arm 6, carrying the thread-engaging device,pivoted at 7 to a bracket on the cam-ring and held in operative positionby a pivoted latch 8. By throwing this latch out the arm 6, with thethreadengaging device or scroll, may be removed from working position,leaving the cylinder entirely unobstructed from the top. I donot wish tolimit myself to the exact location .of the engaging point of thisscroll-surface with relation to the thread-fingers, as the operation ofthe thread-engaging device would be the same if the scroll or devicewere set back even a half-turn.

I do not wish to limit myself to an engaging device of the exactscroll-like form shown, as I am aware that surfaces of other forms wouldcatch and hold the threads, and the scroll may be made in a mannerdifierent from that shown. I have illustrated in Fig. 3 one instance ofthe manner in which the engaging device may be modified, which figureshows the device in the form of a hook E of substantially U shape.

I claim- 1. In combination with a circular-knitting machine havingmultiple feed devices, a thread-engaging device inside of the needle rowto engage the inactive or floating thread extending from the fabric tothe feed and hold it inside the needle circle until introduced to theneedles, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a circular-knitting machine having multiple feeddevices, a thread-engaging device having a scroll-like surface to engagethe inactive or floating threads on the inside of the fabric,substantially as described.

3. In combination with a circular-knitting machine having multiple feeddevices a thread-engaging device inside of the needle row and having ascroll-like surface to engage the inactive or floating threads, saidsurface extending approximately from the inner periphery of the cylinderto the center thereof, substantially as described.

4. In combination with a circular-knitting machine having multiple feeddevices, a thread-engaging device inside the needle row to guide andhold the inactivezfloatingjthreads extending from the fabric to the feedout of engagement with the needles and adapted to release the threadwhen it is introduced to the needles again, substantially as described.

5. I11 combination, the multiple feeds, the needle-cylinder, and atake-up device having an arm with one end near the inner side of thecylinder to engage the threadfsaid arm extending toward the center ofthe cylinder to draw the inactive thread toward the center and torelease it when introduced again into the fabric, substantially asdescribed.

6. In combination with a circular-knitting machine having multiple feeddevices, a thread-engaging device inside of the needle row to engage theinactive or floating thread extending from the fabric to the feed andhold it inside the needle circle until introduced to the needle, saidthread-en gagin g device having a laterally-open mouth, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a circular-knitting machine, in combination, a thread-carrier andmeans to move the thread-carrier in and out of operative position, and adevice within the needlecylinder adapted to catch and retain the threadwhen the carrier is out of operative position.

8. In a circular-knitting machine, in combination, a plurality ofthread-carriers, and means to move one or more of said threadcarriersinand out of operative position, and a device within the needle-cylinderadapted to catch and retain the thread to the carrier out of operativeposition.

9. In a circular-knitting machine, in combination, a plurality ofthread-carriers and means to move one or more of said threadcarriers inand out of operative position, and a device within the needle-cylinderadapted to catch and retain the thread of the carrier out of operativeposition, andmeans to cause the said device to travel with thethread-carrier.

10. In a circular-knitting machine, in com- .bination, a thread-carrierand means to move said thread-carrier in and out of operative position,a cam having a spiral face, the interior of said spiral face being inalinement with the thread of the carrier when out of action.

11. In a circular-knitting machine, in combination, a plurality ofthread-carriers and means to move one or more of said threadcarriers inand out of operative position, a

cam having a spiral face, the exterior of the said spiral face being inalinement with the carriers out of action. p

12. In a circular-knitting machine, in combination, a plurality ofthread-carriers and means to move one or more of said threadcarriers inand. out of operative position, of a cam having a spiral face, theexterior of the said spiral face being in alinement with the thread ofthe carrier oiit of action, and 15 means to cause said cam to travelwith the thread-carriers.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK WILOOMB. Witnesses:

HENRY E. COOPER, L. B. MIDDLETON.

